In The Dark Places That I Walk
by Neon Star
Summary: Elrond and Glorfindel enter battle, but shall they both return from it?
1.

Disclaimer: Tolkien made them, and he owns them. And I am very glad he did create them!  
  
In The Dark Places That I Walk  
  
The sound of congested breathing was the first thing to reach Elrond's returning senses. He opened his faint gray eyes and looked around. The scene before his eyes was of bloody battle. His scattered memories came together and became as sharp and clear as a dagger. He remembered being overwhelmed by orcs, and being injured by one that had slipped past his sword. He remembered that as he had fallen, Glorfindel had leapt into battle to defend him. Then nothing. Now this... where was Glorfindel?   
  
He struggled up, his head pounding in his skull. Around him lay the scattered bodies of orcs, some killed by his hand, some downed by Glorfindel. He looked to his right, and found the orc that had wounded him lying dead in the dirt, an elven blade in its chest.   
  
His sharp eyes then traveled through the massacre around him, until he spotted a glint of gold. Dread welled within him as he crawled toward it, as he was unable to rise, for his wound slowed him, and his head pounded with his every movement.   
  
His dread quickly turned to fear as he beheld his friend, lying like a broken bird in a ditch. He started to slowly find a way down, but tumbled in when his precious grip upon the dirt failed him. He collapsed beside his friend and beheld in detail   
  
Glorfindel looked as if dead. There was a gash along his neck, and his armor was twisted and blood covered. A wound was upon his chest, and the armor was turned into it, opening it further. The ground was stained with blood and Glorfindel was white with blood loss.   
  
Elrond pulled himself to his side, and gently put a hand upon his neck, checking for life. 


	2. 

Sorry it was so short last time, that was just to get you interested. But yes, it shall be longer and there is more.  
  
Thank you so much for the comment!!!! :D]  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
"My Lord," Glorfindel rasped just as Elrond put a hand upon his neck.  
  
"It is I, Glorfindel," Elrond said softly.  
  
Glorfindel's eyes fluttered then opened to reveal glassy green. He seemed to have a time focusing on Elrond, but finally did.  
  
"Are...you...in..jured?" he asked in gasps, and blood ran from the edge of his lips.  
  
"Not badly," Elrond said, worry mirroring in the depths of his gray eyes.  
  
"Liar," Glorfindel said softly, his glazed eyes twinkling slightly in mock humor.  
  
"You are the only one I would ever allow to call me that," Elrond said, slight teasing in his voice, then he turned serious, "How are you feeling?"  
  
" Dy..in..g hur..hurt worse the..the first ti..time," Glorfindel gasped out.  
  
"You are not dying, and we will get out of here together," Elrond said softly.  
  
"Enough of m..me. Wh..ere are you..in..injured?" Glorfindel asked softly.  
  
"It is not but a small head and arm wound, do not worry for me," Elrond said, dismissing his own injuries.  
  
"I..I ha..ve to. It..s a ..ha..bit."   
  
"I thought so."  
  
They were silent for a bit. Elrond kept watch over his friend; his heart fearing what may take place before night, and willing that death would keep its fearful claws from his friend. But the Lord of Imladris had seen death many times, upon the faces of many, and feared it once again had come to face Glorfindel, and this time, there would be no return from the depths of Mandos.  
  
"Intre..sting..how how one no longer fe..fears dea..death af..ter facing it once," Glorfindel said softly.  
  
"You won't die again," Elrond whispered.  
  
"You ne..need me n..no longer," Glorfindel said.  
  
"Of course I do. You are the one that has been beside me through this long long journey. You were a second Father to my children. Celebrian and you were the only two to get me through the worst of times. I have all ready lost my love, and it shall be a long time before we are reunited. I cannot lose my best friend as well," Elrond said softly, sorrow chocking his words.  
  
"You are st..ro..nger.. then you kn.. know. Nev...er dou..bt tha.. that," Glorfindel whispered.  
  
"I shall not. Please try to hold on, help shall be here soon," Elrond said softly.  
  
"I shall try," Glorfindel wheezed.  
  
Elrond nodded, then began to look at the wound. It was serious, and without his healer's tools, he could do little. What he could do would weaken him, and he knew that if their enemies returned, he would have to fight.  
  
Glorfindel chocked slightly beside him, and he turned his eyes back to his companion. Glorfindel then gasped, and a wheezing sound came from him. He was now a shade paler, and his eyes were darkening.  
  
"It..s growing cold," Glorfindel wheezed.  
  
"I know, but all shall be well. Think of the warm fires of the Hall of Fire, and the soft songs that echo in that great hall. We shall return to it soon enough," Elrond soothed.  
  
"If all goes well," Glorfindel gasped.  
  
"All shall be well. Elladan and Elrohir shall find us soon enough," Elrond said, "Now be still, you are only making it worse by talking."  
  
Glorfindel sighed, and then coughed slightly. Blood again ran down from the corners of his lips, and Elrond's worry grew. He could tell the signs of blood in the lungs, and he knew Glorfindel was already drowning from his own blood. He wouldn't have long before the blood completely filled his lungs. Elrond hoped that his sons or others of his group would find them soon. 


	3. 

I keep forgetting to say this is AU. It is after the War of the Ring. The remaining followers of Sauron are still around.  
  
Forgive the mistakes on my Elvish. Still learning Sindarin.  
  
Thanks for all the comments!  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Night had settled, and Elrond's head was fiercely aching. Drowsiness was lingering over him, and sleep beckoned with warm arms. But he knew he could not sleep, though he desired it, he knew he must watch Glorfindel. So thus he forced himself to stay awake, watching as the other elf breathed the cold air, and with his breath came the sound of wheezing, and the smell of blood. Time was stealing the strength from him, and Elrond could feel death within the air, hovering, waiting to clam the one who had escaped it many times before. He would lose him, and though everything in him fought that thought, he knew that his best friend was going to die.  
  
"The stars are beautiful tonight," Glorfindel whispered, and Elrond struggled to hear his words.  
  
"So they are. Are you still cold?" Elrond asked softly.  
  
"I do not fe...feel it..it now. I see yo..your Father sails this..is ni...ght," Glorfindel said, turning the subject away from him.  
  
Elrond gazed up, "He does. But tis, he sails every night," he sighed softly.  
  
"He...w..was a charming boy when I knew him. He had a love for the sea," Glorfindel said, and his glazed eyes shimmered.  
  
Elrond caught the ringing, steady tone that Glorfindel now held. Glorfindel always had a strong, beautiful voice, but nothing like this. This was power, strength, and beauty beyond imagine mixed into one. He turned his gray gaze to his friend, and his soul shivered with fear.  
  
"I fear I sh..all not b..be with,,th..ee much longer, nîn hîr," Glorfindel whispered.  
  
"Hold on, please, nîn mell meldir," Elrond pleaded.  
  
"Nîn lû teli, neth min," Glorfindel breathed, his breathing turning to gasps.  
  
"No one had called me that since Gi-galad perished," Elrond said softly, a brief smile flittering across his pale lips, only to be replaced by a stubborn frown.  
  
He moved to sit close to his friend's side, and laid his hands gently on the twisted metal surrounding the wound. The metal bit into his hands, but he did not let it distract him as he connected to the power within him. His hands began to glow as the healing power began to surge within him. Glorfindel gasped weakly, and Elrond felt that he was losing.  
  
"Mandos' ennyn edra," Glorfindel whispered, "Namaarie."  
  
The bright soul flared under Elrond's hands, and started to depart from a flesh that was no longer capable of holding such wonder. Elrond struggled to hold onto that essence, to keep it in its broken form. But the soul let go of the flesh, and with a gentle touch to Elrond's cheek, disappeared into the brightness of the stars. And light and love filled Elrond's pained soul for a brief moment at the being's touch. Then darkness closed around them, and Elrond collapsed beside the cooling body of his now departed friend, his energy spent. Tears flowed from his pained gray eyes, and he wept silently, bitterly upon that battlefield.  
  
"I elenath aphad thee, alfirin malthen callon, o sen fair ardhon. Awartha ha an I athan. Namaarie," Elrond whispered, and darkness took him.  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
"Elladan!" the shout rang up.  
  
Elladan turned, to see his brother standing near a pit. He felt the fear and pain from his twin, and feared the worse and he hurried over. As he reached his twin's side, he looked down into the dark pit, and his stomach turned within him in fear and grief. With silent consent, the two worked their way down into it, and arrived at the side of their father and friend. Elladan knelt down and touched his Father's neck gently. A brief smile of relief came to his fair face.  
  
"He is alive. We need to get him out of here," Elladan said, and then got up and went to Glorfindel's side.  
  
He knelt and again checked for life. A sad look entered his eyes as he reached over and gently closed those blank green eyes. Elrohir looked on silently, tears at the edges of his eyes.  
  
"We must get Father to safety, and bear Glorfindel's body from this place," Elladan said, and gently lifted his Father from the mud.  
  
Elrohir climbed to the top of the pit, and leaned over it to lift his Father from Elladan's arms. He lay Elrond down nearby, and then went back to lift Glorfindel's body from the pit. Elladan climbed out of the pit, and took the body from his brother, for he saw the grief burning brightly within Elrohir.   
  
"I shall bear him, you are quicker. Carry Father back to camp so that he may have the attention he needs," Elladan ordered softly.  
  
Elrohir nodded, and lifted his Father up. They then hurried toward their camp across the battle flied.   
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
nîn hîr= my lord  
  
nîn mell meldir= my dear friend  
  
Nîn lû teli, neth min= my time comes, young one  
  
I elenath aphad thee, alfirin malthen callon, o sen fair ardhon. Awartha ha an I athan. Namaarie,= The stars follow you, immortal golden hero, from this mortal world. Abandon it for the beyond. Farewell. 


	4. 

He stood within a realm of darkness, and before him black clouds were roving. He waited, though he did not know what he waited for. He did not know how long he waited, until a spark of light appered in the mist of those clouds. The light grew steadly, and began to take form. The figure started to appear to look like an Elf made of light. Then suddenly color came to the figure's eyes. Vivid green looked back and Elrond, and the figure smiled. With a shock, Elrond knew who it was.  
  
"Glorfindel?" he said softly, reaching out to the other, only to find something holding him back.  
  
"Elrond," the voice came back, warm, comforting.  
  
"How can this be?" Elrond asked.  
  
The figure flickered before him, like a candle in the wind, about ready to blow out.  
  
"Now is not the time to ask. Elrond..." Glorfindel called, then suddenly the darkness wrapped around him.  
  
Elrond could see him struggle, and tried to reach out to him, but again could not.  
"Glorfindel!"  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
"Father?" a worried voice called to him.  
  
Opening his eyes, Elrond looked up into the face of his youngest son.  
  
"Elrohir," he whispered.  
  
"Its good to see you awake, Ada. We worried for you," Elrohir said softly, and Elladan appeared behind him.  
  
"Where is Glorfindel?" Elrond asked.  
  
The twins looked to each other, a look of pain passing between them. They then returned their stormy gazes to him and Elladan took his brother's place. Gently taking Elrond's hand, he looked to his Father.  
  
"Father, Glorfindel was slain," Elladan said as gently as he could.  
  
Elrond closed his eyes, the memories coming back to him. He had tried to save him, but had not been able to. The damage had been too great. But why the dream? If it could be called that.  
  
"I'm sorry, Father," Elrohir said softly.  
  
Elrond opened his eyes, reached out to Elrohir, and his youngest son took his hand.  
  
"Glorfindel fought bravely, and died as such. He is no longer burdened," he said softly, but something felt wrong, he ignored it, and his own pain with it.  
  
Elrohir nodded, tears shimmering in his eyes. He was always the more sensitive of the two brothers, being as he was the younger of the two.  
  
"I hope so, Ada," Elrohir whispered.  
  
Elladan wrapped his free arm around Elrohir, and held him close. Elrond had always marveled at their bond. But now it brought him slight pain as he gingerly reached out on the two jagged remains of his own bonds. One was to his brother Elros, who had passed on Ages ago, and the other to Glorfindel. His brother in all but blood, now torn from him by a harsh twist of fate.  
  
"We had best let you rest, Father," Elladan said.  
  
Elrond nodded slightly, and the two left him. When he heard the door shut behind them, he let his emotions out. Slowly at first, then they began to pour. A sob escaped his lips as the tears he had held back escaped from his clouded eyes. He rarely let his emotions escape like this. But it was released like a flood held for to long, and he just let it flow. 


	5. 

I warn you, I messed with Elrond a bit here, as in actually expanded on his mind abilities. Heh, oh, someone mentioned why would I kill Glorfindel, expecially when he's my fav Elf. ]:D Well, its simple. I torture/kill the chars I love! Thanks for the comments, sorry this is so late.  
*~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*  
Warm fingers gently touched his shoulder, comforting, but strange, and yet not. Elrond opened his eyes, and pushed down on his emotions, as was how he had always done things. Looking up, he saw a pale, fair Elf standing over him. The Elf studied him with watery blue eyes, his white hair blowing gently in the light wind.   
  
"Lord Elrond?" he asked solemnly.  
  
Elrond sat up, and looked at the Elf as the he withdrew his hand.  
  
"Yes," he answered cautiously, wiping the remains of his tears away.  
  
"I have come for my brother, Glorfindel, and as his lord, I thought you would know where he is," the Elf said.  
  
Elrond sighed softly, sadly, and pressed his emotions down tighter, "Lord Glorfindel is dead."  
  
"I know that, and so am I. Mandos sent me to find him. We thought he might have lingered with you," the Elf said.  
  
Elrond started at that, and looked at the Elf strangely, "Who are you?"  
  
The Elf smiled slightly, "Ecthelion, Lord of the Fountains of Gondolin."  
  
Elrond looked at him, weary of this strange Elf, and awed, because somewhere deep within, he knew it was true.  
  
"I assure you, I was sent by Mandos to bring Glorfindel back. My lord, do you know where he is?" Ecthelion asked.  
  
"Nay...and yet....," Elrond trailed off, unsure on how to reply, for he did not know if his dream had been real, or just a dream. He turned to another subject, "How do I know who you are?"   
  
"Touch my hand, and I think that shall serve to convince you," Ecthelion said and held out his hand.  
  
Elrond looked at it, and cautiously reached out to touch the offered hand. His hand passed through it as if through air.  
  
"See? I'm dead, and I have been for several ages. The reason I could touch you was because I concentrated on it, but you cannot touch me. I'm purely spirit, milord. Now, you hesitated. No matter how foolish you think your ideas are, I wish to hear them. If he is not with you, then he must be found, and quickly, before he is lost," Ecthelion said.  
  
What Ecthelion said brought Elrond from his shock and he looked up into the Elf's grave eyes, "What do you mean, lost?"  
  
"He has no anchor here, and his soul must return to Mandos. If he does not, he will be forced to wonder this world to the end, or his soul will fade beyond the boundaries," Ecthelion said.  
  
"Then we had best find him, "Elrond said. and pressed his lips tightly together as he thought, finally, he spoke, "I dreamt of him this night. He seemed to be trapped by some darkness. He tried to tell me something, but the darkness took him. Tis all I can remember."  
  
Ecthelion frowned at this, and his heart trembled slightly at the thought of his brother trapped by such an evil that could hold so powerful a spirit. He then looked over Elrond, and begged Mandos, and the boy's father, for Ecthelion saw all ages younger then himself as young, for forgiveness for what he was about to ask of him. But they could not let the enemy gain the power that Glorfindel alone wielded.   
  
"Then your bond is still intact," he said softly, awed slightly that it could have grown so strong.  
  
"Nay," Elrond whispered, his mind again going to that broken link.  
  
"It is, or else he could not have reached you, and he would truly be lost. Let me see, milord, for his sake?" Ecthelion said, reaching one hand towards Elrond's brow.  
  
"How could it be?" Elrond asked softly.  
  
"I do not know, though with a being such as Glorfindel, it is not unlikely. Now, may I?" Ecthelion gestured.  
  
Elrond nodded reluctantly. He had no wish to share his mind with a strange Elf, let alone a dead one, but to save his friend, he had to. Looking into Ecthelion's eyes, he prepared to feel the pressure of a strange mind with his. But none came, as Ecthelion gently touched his temple, and entered his mind with little trouble. For a moment he started, nearly pulling himself out of Ecthelion's touch. The presence with him felt so much like Glorfindel, with only minor differences, and that Ecthelion seemed less powerful.   
  
/I told you we were brothers,/ Ecthelion said gently in thought speech, with a slight bit of humor.  
  
/How can that be? Glorfindel never spoke of having a sibling,/ Elrond sent back.  
  
/He has none. We are brothers of the soul. We were so close that our souls started to mirror each other, though we kept our personality traits. Water and Fire, constant yet always melding together,/ Ecthelion explained, a wistful tone echoing in his thoughts.  
  
/What happened?/ Elrond asked gently.  
  
/He was sent back, I was not. Our souls were ripped apart, and I don't know if either of us healed from it,/ Ecthelion sent, anger slightly making its way into his words.  
  
/So that was Glorfindel's hidden pain,/ Elrond sighed, his own sadness blending with Ecthelion's.  
  
/It may. But come, we have to find him,/ Ecthelion said, and Elrond guided him through his mind to the broken bonds.  
  
Briefly, Ecthelion touched upon Elros's bond, and a feeling of sadness came to Elrond.  
  
/I was to be his guardian, as Glorfindel's was yours, but his way chose for us both,/ Ecthelion explained, then gingerly touched Glorfindel's bond. Relief flooded him, and echoed in Elrond's mind.   
  
/See, that last strip of bondage?/ Ecthelion asked, guiding Elrond to it.  
  
Elrond felt the tender, small bond he still had, and the pain in his heart subsided slightly. Glorfindel was still with him. He reached out to the bond, and was suddenly pulled into a world of nightmares.  
  
Darkness surrounded him as fire entered his soul, shattering all of his mental barriers and licked greedily at his powers. He tried to protect himself, and was surprised to find that it worked, though it was draining him rapidly.  
  
/Elrond...Elrond...no!/ a savage strength hit him mentally, almost regretfully pushing him away.  
  
He suddenly realized who it was.  
  
/Glorfindel!/ he called back to him.  
  
/Go! It cannot find you here!/ Glorfindel snapped.  
  
With one finally violent shove, Elrond was thrown back into his body, where he immediately lost consciousness. 


End file.
